Disclosed herein is an updated medical software tool platform, aka surgeon's dashboard, comprised of a new set of desktop tools (aka widgets) developed to help medical professionals identify subtle changes in tissue. Various tools are intended to be used in procedures where indocyanine green (ICG) is used. ICG is a fluorescent dye and a marker in the assessment of the perfusion of tissues and organs. The term perfusion refers to the passage of blood and tissue fluid through the capillary bed. Moreover, the new tools are intended to help surgeons better determine the boundaries between healthy and diseased regions during surgical procedures. Intraoperative fluorescence imaging is commonly used during multiple minimally invasive procedures to enable surgeons to visualize tissue perfusion and anatomical structures. The fluorescent imaging agent binds to protein in blood and is metabolized and excreted by the liver thereby providing laparoscopic visualization of the hepatic artery and bile ducts. These dyes enable a precise visual assessment of blood flow in vessels, as well as the quality of tissue perfusion in, for example, colorectal, esophageal and bariatric surgeries. Intraoperative fluorescence imaging can also be used to improve visualization of vessels and structures, which, in turn, may reduce the risk of complications during minimally invasive surgeries.
Various desktop tools are designed to be used in conjunction with ICG to enhance a surgeon's ability to visualize and analyze tissue perfusion and structural anatomy intraoperatively and in real-time. In certain situations, the tools can be used to help the surgeon visualize and objectively analyze different levels of blood flow in tissue. Moreover, various desktop tools may assist surgeons in making critical decisions in the operating room, which can potentially reduce rates of postoperative complications and decrease healthcare costs.
The new medical software tools include 1) ICG Visualization, 2) Instant Replay, 3) Height Mapping, 4) Grid Tool, 5) Perfusion Visualization and Quantification, 6) Color Collaboration. Each of the individual tools are depicted in the figures below and described in the narrative that follows.